Project: Case Inlet Retreat
Architects: MW Works
Location: Lakebay, Washington, USA
Area: 2,800 sf
Photographs by: Jeremy Bittermann
Case Inlet Retreat by MW Works
Case Inlet Retreat is a beautiful, soothing dwelling resting on a hillside by a lake in Washington. It was designed by MW Works, the studio behind the Little House in Seabeck, a rather similar type of home.
The Case Inlet Retreat is a single-story residence with a design that aims to deliver the most striking views of the spectacular natural surroundings of the area. For this reason, it is glazed from every side and also includes a rooftop platform that offers unobstructed panoramic views.
Nestled into a forested slope along the eastern edge of the Case Inlet, this small retreat opens to a western view of the Olympic Mountains and the Puget Sound. Anchored by a weathered cedar clad bedroom wing, a bold concrete cantilever projects the living and dining into the forest and toward the view.
An ipe deck slips from inside the kitchen into a meadow to the south, separated only by large sliding glass doors extending the sense of interior directly to the outdoors. A broad flat roof hovers high above the living spaces creating the feeling that one is sitting outdoors amidst the trees.
Smaller, thoughtfully placed apertures define the exterior of the bedroom volume, along with a single large opening belonging to the master bath to give the users a ritual of bathing within the forest. A balance of simple lines and rugged low maintenance materials, this modest retreat is a welcome sanctuary from the city.
